Water Hyacinth Puzzle

Comparing my water hyacinths to those grown at a local nursery, mine grow faster, are larger, darker green, and I wonder why.

I just checked my pond water for nitrite and nitrate, both zero. The plants must be doing a good job on the nitrate. We have similar water, from wells in the same aquifer, mine is city processed to reduce iron and manganese, with chlorine added and sodium hydroxide to control pH. Same strain, the previous nursery owner let the ponds go dry in the winter, I supplied WH in the spring.

Nearly full sun in both cases, I get a bit of shading early morning and late afternoon.

I am wondering if water circulation would have some effect, there is a bit of flow in my pond, pretty much none in the ponds at the nursery. What else might I look for?

I have trouble with water hyacinths. Mine are always light/yellowish and need a lot of upkeep because the older leaves die fast. Had the same problem whether I had zero movement or 1000 gph pump (in a 200 gallon pond) so I don't think it's the circulation. I have the same issue with frogbit in my tanks unless I'm dosing.

I think the nurseries (at least the ones around me) are growing water plants in the functional equivalent of an outdoor grow-out tank, and not a mature pond, where fish waste and nitrates are feeding the plants.

I also think it is the fertilizers in the water.
Whether from fish food or chemicals, the plants (all species) that have access to the nutrients they need will grow better.

Around here WH barely make it through the winter outdoors, almost completely dying off. The few survivors are frosted and take a long time coming back.
When I overwinter them in an unheated greenhouse that is all the difference they need. Mine are strong and green all through the winter, and are ready to grow again as the weather warms.
I do keep pumps going in the aquariums in the greenhouse, but the plants are so jammed together that they are not drifting anywhere. The roots are swaying in the flow.

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